Attaching panel for key cases



Jan. 4, 1949. J B ROGHTON' 2,458,335

ATTACHING PANEL FOR KEY CASES Filed Nov. 8. 1946 INVENTOR 001/6240([8190061/700,

ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTACHINGPANEL FOR KEY CASES Application November 8, 1946, Serial No. 708,647

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in key cases and moreparticularly to an improved manner of securing the key holding mechanismto the case.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a one piece panelstructure to which the key holding mechanism may be secured in a mannerto conceal all of the mechanism except that essentially available forthe attachment and. detachment of the keys and which may at the sametime be arranged to form a pocket for the carrying of small cards,papers and the like.

In the accompanying drawings which show one illustrative embodiment ofthe invention,

Fig. 1 is a front view of a key casein open position;

Fig. 2 is a View of the front side of a blank from which the attachingpanel of the invention may be formed;

Fig. 3 is a view of the rear side of the panel with the side membersfolded into position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the bottom member folded andstitched in position; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View substantially on line 55 of Fig.1.

Referring to the drawings, the body of the case is shown as comprising acenter portion I to Which the attaching panel of the present invention,generally indicated at 2, is secured as later described. Extending fromthe sides of center portion l are side flaps 3 and 4 adapted to befolded in overlapping relation over panel 2 to close the case in aconventional manner. The flaps 3 and 4 are respectively provided withconventional snap fastener elements 5 and 6 by which the case may bereleasably held closed.

As shown in Fig. 2 the attaching panel consists of a front member 1,side flaps 8, extending sidewise from the upper portion of the frontmember 7, and a pocket forming flap 9 extending from the bottom of thefront member.

The side flaps 8 are connected to the front member along parallel foldlines indicated at It], and have portions H which extend above the upperedge of the front member. The portions II are notched, outwardly of foldlines 10, as indicated at 12, a distance approximately equal to thethickness of the key holder plate to be secured to the finished panel.

The side flaps 8 have a width at the bottom substantially equal to onehalf the width of the front member 1, but their free side edges l3 flareoutwardly an amount substantially equal to the transverse depth of thenotches I2. When the side flaps are folded against the back of frontmember I and the edges l3 are brought into abutting relation as in Fig.3, this flaring of the edges brings the notched edges of extensions llinto general alignment with the folded edges ID. The lower portion ofthe side flaps 8 are cemented to the back of member 1 up as far as atransverse line I4 which is spaced from the upper edge l5 of section I adistance substantially equal to the height of the plate of the keyholder mechanism later described.

The flap 9 is next folded ontothe rear face of member 1 and inoverlapping relation on the lower portions of the flaps 8 as shown inFig. 4. The side and bottom edges of flap 9 are then stitched as at 16to the edge of the front member, forming a pocket opening upwardly atl'l.

The upper edge of the center part I of the case is formed with a shortextension I8, see Fig. 5, which is folded inwardly of the case. Theextending portions ll of the panel are stitched, as at 19, to theextension Hi.

The keyholder mechanism, generally indicated at 20, includes a plateportion 2| having a slotted cylinder 22 along its upper edge, in theslots of which key hanger loops 23 are releasably secured. The specificstructure of the key holder mechanism is not a feature of the presentinvention. The form shown here for purpose of illustration is generallysimilar to that disclosed and described in the prior patent to Boden2,114,122, issued April 12, 1938.

The plate 2| is inserted, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 in the pocket formedbetween the uncemented portions of member 1 and flaps 8 above the line[4 with the cylinder 22 extending over the edge I5 .of member 1. Themechanism 20 is then secured in place by means of rivets 24 extendingthrough member I and flaps 8 and the plate 2| inserted therebetween.

Preferably the member 1 and flaps 8 of the blank from which the panel isformed are provided, before the blank is folded up, with rivet securingopenings 25 positioned to register with preformed rivet openings in theplate 2|.

As will be apparent from the above description and the accompanyingdrawings, the attaching panel of the present invention conceals theplate 2|, and all exposed parts of the panel, both front and back,present the grain or finished surface of the leather. Furthermore theplate of the keyholder mechanism is held in proper position by the foldsID and the edge 15 during the positioning and upsetting of the rivets24, greatly facilitating the operation of assembly. The slightflarmechanism, having a plate member provided with key connectingmembers along its upper edge, is

attached to the case which comprises, a piece of flexible materialhaving a front member, flap members extending from the sides thereof andfolded rearwardly onto the rear face of said front member, the lowerportions of said flap members being secured to the adjacent face of thefront member, the upper portions being free of attachment to the frontmember to provide a pocket in which the plate holding member of the keyholding mechanism is positioned With the key connecting members exposedabove and along the upper edge of the front member, a bottom flapextending from the lower edge of the front member and folded rearwardlyupon the lower portions of said flap members, the side edges of saidbottom flap being secured to the side edges of the front member to forman upwardly opening pocket on the rear face of the panel, means securingthe key holding mechanism in the first named pocket and means connectingthe upper edges of said side flap members to the keycase.

.2. In a key case, a panel by which a key holding mechanism, having aplate member provided with key connecting members along its upper edge,is attached to the case which comprises, a piece of flexible materialhaving a front member, flap members extending from the sides thereof,said flap members being slightly wider at the top than at the bottom,said flap members being folded rearwardly onto the rear face of saidfront member with their free side edges abutting each other, the lowerportions of said flap members being secured to the adjacent face of thefront member, the upper portions being free of attachment to the frontmember to provide a pocket in which the plate holding member of. thekeyholding mechanism is positioned with the key connecting membersexposed above and along the upper edge of the front member, the upperedges of said flaps extending upwardly behind the key connectingmembers, a bottom flap extending from the lower edge of the front memberand folded rearwardly upon the lower portions of said flap members, theside edges of said bottom flap being secured to the side edges of thefront member to form an upwardly opening pocket on the rear face of thepanel, means securing the key holding mechanismin the first named pocketand V means connecting the upper edges of said side flap members to thekeycase.

DOUGLAS J. BROUGHTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNI'IED STATES PATENTS

